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Do you have a home loan? What sort is it – fixed rate, variable, line of credit, interest only, principle & interest? Maybe you’re applying for a new loan or an extension to the one you already have?

Here are some tips to keep in mind before accepting the till-death-do-us-part terms & conditions your bank will put in front of you.

Borrow what you should, not what you can

Imagine walking into a hamburger shop, looking at the menu and having an idea of what it will take to satisfy your hunger.…

Do you have a friend that is always droning on about what they’re going to do next so that they don’t need to worry about money anymore? If they’re like a couple of my friends, they will no doubt spend more time talking and very little, if any time putting these ideas into action. Getting ahead financially is rarely done quickly and it’s never exciting but by taking the following simple steps you’ll set yourself up a much richer life.

Vision -

Most of the time when taking a drive you know whe…

Recently we have seen quite a few major changes announced by some of the biggest operators in the financial planning profession. It started last year during the Royal Commission with Dover, one of the largest independent operators (with over 400 advisers nationally) dramatically closing their doors, and it seems the trend is accelerating in 2019.

Under pressure from ASIC the Commonwealth Bank has turned off all ongoing advice fees and are now only offering ongoing review advice upon request - and…

Everyday we work with couples who have big dreams for their family, but don’t want to go down the rabbit hole of creating more stress, while they create a life they love.

It always spikes our interest when we see rising levels of debt that don’t line up with household levels of income. But we get it. Some days it can be easy to buy what you want, when you want, because there’s a lender on every corner, or computer screen, wanting to give you exactly what you’re looking for.

The problem is many of …

They say wellbeing is the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. But when it comes to personal wellbeing there are so many factors at play - work, home, health, money, relationships, hobbies and sleep, are just a few. As many of us attempt to navigate busy, switched-on lives, it’s becoming more important to stop occasionally, reconnect with yourself and think about what makes you tick. What makes you the happiest and most fulfilled version of you? What choices can you make every day to en…

 

1. Create a budget: Getting organised is empowering and essential to feeling great about your finances. Grab a pen or your computer, and make a list of any big expenses coming up in the year ahead. Plan your annual expenses out in monthly breakdowns then track your ongoing spend against your plan - this will quickly make you aware of any potential problems.
2. Reduce debt ASAP: Credit card debt in Australia is a staggering $32 billion! That’s a lot of zero’s! With an interest bill of almost $…

Cast your mind back to March 2009. If you remember it we’ll you’ll recall there were a lot of long faces on investors. And for good reason - Share Markets, Property Markets and Bond Markets had all ridden a depressing downward slide, for close to two years. The outlook was improving but nobody seemed to know if the light at the end of the tunnel was actually an oncoming train.

Since early 2009 investments have been producing strong returns with the median balanced fund in positive territory for n…

If you’re anything like the rest of the human beings on this planet, you might be starting to think about next year, and how it could look a little different to the past year. Some of you will be checking out your finances, or doing a bit of research to see how you can do things differently to make real impact. If this is you, pay attention to the following three items. If you get these three F’s right, we know you’ll have a happier financial journey in front of you!

1. Fees : Yep, as you may …